Capital: Tallahassee

State abbreviation/Postal code: Fla./FL

Governor: Charlie Crist, R (to Jan. 2011)

Lieut. Governor: Jeff Kottkamp, R (to Jan. 2011)

Senators: Mel Martinez, R (to Jan. 2011); Bill Nelson, D (to Jan. 2013)

U.S. Representatives: 25

Historical biographies of Congressional members

Secy. of State: Kurt S. Browning (appt'd. by gov.)

Atty. General: Bill McCollum, R (to Jan. 2011)

Chief Financial Officer: Alex Sink, D (to Jan. 2011)

Organized as territory: March 30, 1821

Entered Union (rank): March 3, 1845 (27)

Present constitution adopted: 1969

Motto: In God we trust (1868)

State symbols:

Nickname: Sunshine State (1970)

Origin of name: From the Spanish Pascua Florida, meaning �feast of flowers� (Easter)

10 largest cities (2005 est.): Jacksonville, 782,623; Miami, 386,417; Tampa, 325,989; St. Petersburg, 249,079; Hialeah, 220,485; Orlando, 213,223; Fort Lauderdale, 167,380; Tallahassee, 158,500; Pembroke Pines, 150,380; Hollywood, 145,629

Land area: 53,927 sq mi. (139,671 sq km)

Geographic center: In Hernando Co., 12 mi. NNW of Brooksville

Number of counties: 67

Largest county by population and area: Miami-Dade, 2,376,014 (2005); Palm Beach, 2,034 sq mi.

State forests: 31 (more than 890,000 ac.)

State parks: 159 (over 723,000+ ac.)

Residents: Floridian, Floridan

2005 resident population est.: 17,789,864

2000 resident census population (rank): 15,982,378 (4). Male: 7,797,715 (48.8%); Female: 8,184,663 (51.2%). White: 12,465,029 (78.0%); Black: 2,335,505 (14.6%); American Indian: 53,541 (0.3%); Asian: 266,256 (1.7%); Other race: 477,107 (3.0%); Two or more races: 376,315 (2.4%); Hispanic/Latino: 2,682,715 (16.8%). 2000 percent population 18 and over: 77.2; 65 and over: 17.6; median age: 38.7.

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